The Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control (CDC) continues to play an important role in the global campaign to stop the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) and ultimately eliminate it.

Director of CDC and Head of the TB Control Unit, Dr Vicki Krause speaking ahead of World Tuberculosis Day (March 24) said in Australia 1200 to 1300 new cases of active TB are detected each year, including 25 to 35 cases in Territorians.

“TB remains a significant global health problem and worldwide each year there are 9 million new TB cases and 1.5 million deaths from this treatable and preventable disease,” said Dr Krause.

“It is important to recognise that TB can develop many years after one has been in contact with an active case of the disease.”

CDC’s commitment to TB control efforts include:

• screening those at risk of TB

• contract tracing those exposed to persons with active TB

• directly observed treatment for active cases

• preventative treatment for potential TB cases

• high standard laboratory work on disease identification and drug testing.

“Unite to end TB is this year’s World TB Day theme and highlights that TB is both a curable and preventable disease when it is detected and effectively treated. CDC has a number of screening programs for those at high risk of TB exposure or reactivation.”

“We encourage all people who have been exposed to TB or lived in countries where TB is common such as Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa to have a Mantoux skin test to check if they have latent TB infection. Treatment of the infection is then possible to prevent them from developing active TB at a later date.”

“Ongoing commitment is needed in Australia and elsewhere to identify those at greatest risk of developing the disease through screening and education so they can receive preventative treatment.”

More information on TB can be found at Centre of Disease Control

Media Contact: Lorraine Hook 0427 596 954